The governor signed a $21 million emergency dredging bill for the state’s harbors — but Saugatuck is not officially on the list.

The funding bill was one of four concerning dredging that Gov. Rick Snyder signed today.

“What I particularly like about all four bills is the governor and the state saw a critical need with low water levels and moved quickly,” said state Rep. Amanda Price, R-Park Township, who sponsored one of the bills.

“As the Great Lakes State, we need to ensure the availability of our beautiful waterways to boaters to support tourism, local communities, the state economy and safe boating,” said Gov. Rick Snyder during the bill signing.

Though Saugatuck did not make the list, state money will be available for the Allegan County harbor. About $150,000 will come from unused funds from other harbors. Because Saugatuck does not have a public marina, it was left off the original list of harbors to be funded.

Grand Haven Marina (Harbor Island BAS) will receive $180,005 and South Haven Municipal Marina will receive $436,050. Holland was not on the list because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has already decided to dredge in May.

Holland and Saugatuck are in line for federal money for dredging as a result of last fall’s Hurricane Sandy that whipped up strong waves and wind on the Great Lakes.

Holland will receive $200,000 to remove shoaling at the harbor mouth and Saugatuck will see $370,000 for dredging.

A recent survey of the Saugatuck channel showed shoaling along the north pier, though the problem isn’t bad enough to stop the arrival of a cruise ship this summer, officials said earlier this month.

The federal money and any state funds that become available are to perform work on the Kalamazoo River from Lake Michigan to about Coral Cables in Saugatuck, but not Kalamazoo Lake which as about 1,000 boat slips, though 67 percent are unoccupied because of low water levels.

The Kalamazoo Lake Harbor Authority is working to raise $2 million to dredge parts of Kalamazoo Lake which is becoming too shallow for recreational boating. The group is also addressing the long-term causes of the siltation.

Of the $21 million available statewide from the state, $11.5 million comes from the general fund and $9.5 million from the Michigan State Waterways Fund.

The governor also signed four other bills related to dredging:

• SB 252, sponsored by state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, provides low-interest loans for dredging to private marinas located on the Great Lakes or connecting waterways

• House Bills 4398 and 4400, sponsored by Price and state Rep. Peter Pettalia, lower the permitting fee to dredge at least 10,000 cubic yards of at least 90 percent sand. Sand does not carry the same contaminants, so disposal does not carry the same risks. The fee for non-sand areas is either $1,500 or $2,000 depending on the exact location, but this legislation lowers the permitting fee for sand to $50.

Page 2 of 2 -

• HB 4399, sponsored by state Rep. Al Pscholka, allows the Department of Environmental Quality to issue a dredging permit before the end of the 20-day public notice period if emergency conditions warrant. The permit still will go through the public notice process and the final permit could include additional conditions as a result.